ANOTHER VICTORY: HISTORIC CATHOLIC SHRINE, MISSION SAVED FROM DUBIOUS "DEVELOPMENT" -- LOCAL BISHOP "WITHDRAWS" UNAUTHORIZED REZONING REQUEST FOR Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Large-Scale Rezoning/Revised Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment

• On May 14, 2019, Diocese of St. Augustine withdrew its application to construct a three-story parking garage and amphitheater at our Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios
• On May 11, 2019, I reported the Diocese to the Property Appraiser, asking that any such project be subjected to ad valorem property taxes.
• On April 29, 2019, I filed a motion to cross-examine the Bishop and his representatives, and to deny the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios/Applications for Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Large-Scale Rezoning/Revised Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment because there was no evidence that Pope Francis or the Vatican had ever authorized this request, which is inconsistent with canon law and the Pope's landmark environmental encyclical, Laudato Si. 
• Kudos to all of the fine people who activated, organized and testified. 
• This is yet another dubious project proposed by the deeply conflicted firm of MARQUIS, LATIMER & HALBACK, developer testaliars who also get paid to do work for the City of St. Augustine.   
• JEREMY MARQUIS was a HARB member when he and HARB member PAUL M. WEAVER, III were hired by DAVID BARTON CORNEAL, resulting in their recusal when HARB approved, 2-1, demolition of Carpenter's House, one of the worst delectations of historic properties ever to occur in the City of St. Augustine. The fact that the itty-bitty-city keeps hiring MARQUIS to write its plans while allowing him to testify before the City for other plans reflects, at best, blurred ethical lines and an insidious, incestuous relationship between developers and City "Manager' JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E., who thinks he's a developer and needs to retire.  Now.
• Here's the letter from ROGERS TOWERS lawyer Ellen Avery-Smith withdrawing the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios/Applications for Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Large-Scale Rezoning/Revised Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment, followed by my May 11 and April 29, 2019 motions and requests:

May 14, 2019

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

David Birchim, AICP

Planning and Building Director City of St. Augustine

75 King Street

St. Augustine, Florida 32084

Re: The Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios/Applications for Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Large-Scale Rezoning/Revised Comprehensive Plan Text Amendment

Dear David:

Our clients, the Diocese of St. Augustine and its affiliates (collectively, the "Diocese"), hereby withdraw the above-referenced Comprehensive Plan Amendment and rezoning applications (Case Nos. 2018-0170 and 2018-0171).

Sincerely yours,

Ellen Avery-Smith

cc: John Regan, City Manager

Isabelle Lopez, Esq., City Attorney

Bishop Felipe J. Estevez, Diocese of St. Augustine Deacon David Williams, Diocese of St. Augustine Kathleen Bagg, Diocese of St. Augustine

Joanna Stark, Executive Director of Shrine and Mission Charles David, Diocese of St. Augustine






-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: dgalambos ; jregan ; lfountain ; dbirchim ; jcary ; reganj ; askinner ; tupchurch ; tburchfield ; ilopez ; pzb ; karen ; gmisterly
Cc: eaverysmith ; eddie ; lfreeman ; rhorvath ; nsikeskline ; harb ; nuntiususa ; krb ; pakin-otiko ; mhoule ; dwilliams ; TomW ; cathparish ; frtomstaug ; sbell ; mbittner ; diocese ; charlesjdavid ; jariet ; enavarro ; georgio ; sheltonhull ; jim.sutton ; craig.richardson ; sheldon.gardner ; news ; savesta2020 ; tanner ; tomcushman ; jack ; kjakab ; mmilton
Sent: Sat, May 11, 2019 10:23 am
Subject: NOTICE OF FILING Re: MOTION TO Deny/Dismiss Application, ORDER Cross-Examination: re: "Development" of St. Augustine's Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios Grounds in St. Augustine, Florida, -- Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171

Dear Chairman Misterly, Vice Chair Zander, et al.:
1. Please accept for filing in this action the applicant's attached March 13, 2019 letter to Mayor Tracy Upchurch from Ms. Ellen Avery-Smith, evidencing a applicant's overt intention to make commercial use of church property.  

2. I am today also providing it to the St. Johns County Property Appraiser, Mr. Eddie Creamer.

3. Please advise me whether there have been any responses to my April 29, 2019 MOTION TO Deny/Dismiss Application, ORDER Cross-Examination: re: "Development" of St. Augustine's Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios Grounds in St. Augustine, Florida, -- Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171.

Thank you.

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

904-377-4998

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

www.edslavin.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: dgalambos ; jregan ; lfountain ; dbirchim ; jcary ; reganj ; askinner ; tupchurch ; tburchfield ; ilopez ; pzb ; karen ; gmisterly
Cc: eaverysmith ; lfreeman ; rhorvath ; nsikeskline ; harb ; nuntiususa ; krb ; pakin-otiko ; mhoule ; dwilliams ; TomW ; cathparish ; frtomstaug ; sbell ; mbittner ; diocese ; charlesjdavid ; jariet ; enavarro ; georgio ; sheltonhull ; jim.sutton ; craig.richardson ; sheldon.gardner ; news ; savesta2020 ; tanner ; tomcushman ; jack ; waltbog <waltbog@nytimes.com>
Sent: Mon, Apr 29, 2019 12:58 pm
Subject: MOTION TO Deny/Dismiss Application, ORDER Cross-Examination: re: "Development" of St. Augustine's Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios Grounds in St. Augustine, Florida, -- Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171

Dear Chairman Misterly, Vice Chair Zander, et al.:
1. Pope Francis has not endorsed this project, which would destroy our precious Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios  mission grounds with a 800 seat amphitheater and three-story parking garage.  

2. There is no evidence in the record establishing any authorization from the Pope, the Vatican and the Holy See.

3. The local bishop's application is thus ultra vires under Florida and local land use planning law.  

4. It is an affront to local Roman Catholics.  It may also be a violation of canon law,  violating the principles enshrined in Pope Francis' May 24, 2015 encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si. https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si_en.pdf

5. Please DENY the application for lack of any proof of any authority from Pope Francis and the Vatican.

6. Please GRANT me time to cross-examine any applicant witnesses in any further hearings, and to call them as adverse witnesses whether or not called by the applicant's counsel, by analogy to F.S. 90.612(3), sentence 3, allowing leading questions of witnesses identified with an adverse party. 

7. Please place this e-mail chain in the record of City of St. Augustine Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171. See below.

Thank you.

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

904-377-4998

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

www.edslavin.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: recordsrequest
Sent: Mon, Apr 29, 2019 12:43 pm
Subject: Re: Request No. 2019-166: Ugly "Development" Proposal Threatening Our Historic 1565 Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios Grounds in St. Augustine, Florida -- Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171

Thank you.  Filing motions shortly.

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

904-377-4998

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

www.edslavin.com

-----Original Message-----
From: St. Augustine Public Records
To: Ed Slavin
Sent: Mon, Apr 29, 2019 11:15 am
Subject: RE: Request No. 2019-166: Ugly "Development" Proposal Threatening Our Historic 1565 Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios Grounds in St. Augustine, Florida -- Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171

The City of St. Augustine does not possess any documents responsive to your public record request. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: dgalambos ; jregan ; lfountain ; dbirchim ; jcary ; reganj ; askinner ; tupchurch ; tburchfield ; ilopez ; pzb
Cc: tupchurch ; eaverysmith ; lfreeman ; rhorvath ; nsikeskline ; pzb ; harb ; nuntiususa ; krb ; pakin-otiko ; mhoule ; dwilliams ; TomW ; cathparish ; frtomstaug ; sbell ; mbittner ; diocese ; charlesjdavid ; jariet ; enavarro ; georgio ; sheltonhull ; jim.sutton ; craig.richardson ; sheldon.gardner ; tanner ; tomcushman ; jack ; waltbog
Sent: Thu, Apr 25, 2019 3:19 pm
Subject: Re: Request No. 2019-166: Ugly "Development" Proposal Threatening Our Historic 1565 Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios Grounds in St. Augustine, Florida -- Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-0170 & Rezoning No. 2018-0171

Dear Mayor Upchurch, Ms. Galambos, Ms. Lopez, Ms. Skinner and Messrs. Cary, Birchim and Regan, et al.:
1. Please send me any document ever provided by the applicant local bishop evidencing any written authorization ever given by Pope Francis for the "development" of our sacred, historic Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios grounds with a three-story parking garage and a 800-seat amphitheater, on the site of Pedro Menendez's September 8, 1565 landing and founding of St. Augustine, Our Nation's Oldest City.

2. Please send me any document(s) ever provided by the applicant containing any legal analysis of canon law regarding the implications of the bishop's apparently ultra vires "development" proposal possibly violating the principles enshrined in Pope Francis' May 24, 2015 encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si. https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si_en.pdf

3. Please send me any City staff legal analysis of steps to issue letters rogatory from the City of St. Augustine to the Holy See in the Vatican concerning Pope Francis' position on the "development" of our Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche/Mission Nombre de Dios grounds with a three-story parking garage and 800 seat amphitheater.  If none exists, please provide one, on an urgent basis as the public interest requires it.

4. I have sent a copy of this e-mail to our Papal Nuncio (Vatican Ambassador) in Washington, D.C., to Fr. Thomas Willis at our St. Augustine Cathedral Basilica, to our bishop's staff, et al.

5. The owner of the land in quo is the Roman Catholic Church, headed by Pope Francis since his election on March 13, 2013.  

6. The owner is not one "Charles J. David," who is erroneously listed as the "owner" in documents filed by the Rogers Towers corporate law firm and City.  Please correct our City records accordingly.

7. Please make this e-mail -- and any responsive documents to it -- a part of our public hearing record in re: City of St. Augustine Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2018-170 and Rezoning No. 2018-171:

Comprehensive Plan Amendment

2018-0170 Ellen Avery-Smith – Applicant

C/o Rogers Towers

Charles J. David – Owner (sic)

C/o Bishop of the Diocese St. Augustine, Bishop of the Diocese Catholic Center & Roman Catholic Church

PIN #’s: 1920900000, 1920700000, 1959600000,1959300000, 1959200000, 1958500000,1920800000, 1908800000, 1909000000,1909100000, & 1908900000 (Area roughly bounded by Ocean Ave., points immediately north of Ocean Ave. near the Matanzas River, Matanzas River, Pine Street, & San Marco Avenue.)

To amend Future Land Use Map designations from Public/Semi-Public, Open Land and Residential Low Density to Commercial Low Intensity.

Rezoning

2018-0171 Ellen Avery-Smith – Applicant

C/o Rogers Towers

Charles J. David – Owner (sic)

C/o Bishop of the Diocese St. Augustine, Bishop of the Diocese Catholic Center & Roman Catholic Church

PIN #’s: 1920900000, 1920700000, 1959600000,1959300000, 1959200000, 1958500000,1920800000, 1908800000, 1909000000,1909100000, & 1908900000 (Area roughly bounded by Ocean Ave., points immediately north of Ocean Ave. near the Matanzas River, Matanzas River, Pine Street, & San Marco Avenue.)

To approve a rezoning from Open Land (OL) and Residential Single Family 2 (RS-2) to Commercial Low-Two (CL-2).

Thank you.

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

904-377-4998

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

www.edslavin.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: dgalambos
Cc: tupchurch ; eaverysmith
Sent: Thu, Apr 25, 2019 1:25 pm
Subject: Request No. 2019-165: March 13, 2019 letter to Mayor Tracy Upchurch from Roman Catholic Church counsel re: proposed mission grounds development

Dear Ms. Galambos:
Please send me the March 13, 2019 letter to Mayor Tracy Upchurch from Roman Catholic Church counsel re: mission grounds development, together with any staff or public responses and analysis.

Thank you. 

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

904-377-4998

www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

www.edslavin.com